Picking up the Pieces Again
by D1G1T4L darkness
Summary: Sasuke is dying and can only be saved by his will power. One girl who is willing to dedicate her own life for him, shows him the true meaning of the world by almost killing herself. Sasuke x Sakura [SONGFIC]


Picking up the Pieces

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or 'Pieces'

One-shot: Sakura x Sasuke

Song: Pieces by Sum41

_I tried to be perfect  
But nothing was worth it  
I don't believe it makes me real  
I'd thought it'd be easy  
But no one believes me  
I meant all the things I said _

If you believe it's in my soul  
I'd say all the words that I know  
Just to see if it would show  
That I'm trying to let you know  
That I'm better off on my own…

The dark haired boy was facing the ground with horrible wounds all over him. He looked all around him… Blood. Everything felt dark and red. He tried to clench his hands, but his muscles were tense and torn. He could barely understand why he was lying face down in the dirt. His vision was hazed and he coughed out blood. A bit of dirt was filling in his mouth and he tasted something horrible. Defeat.

_Why? _Sasuke thought miserably. _How could I have lost so easily?_

He tried to pull himself up, although his body had disagreed with him. He had left him alive again…_Again._ Sasuke looked horribly at the ground and hated Itachi's mercy. He wished that his brother could kill him instead of leaving him alive with the horrible tormenting thought that had risen above his head like a rising cloud. His brother… One of them had to die, and Sasuke knew now, that it would be him.

The Akatsuki members had cast an everlasting spell onto Orochimaru and himself, Sasuke. Now, Sasuke is unable to be a container for Orochimaru's soul. This had infuriated Orochimaru, and in a rage, almost killed Sasuke. The boy ran out, realizing that no one would ever help him with his revenge. The only one who would help him, was himself. In anger, he felt as if he was at Itachi's level now. He finally found his detested older brother and fought him… But the results were clear. There was no way to defeat Itachi with his current knowledge and power.

_I hate this…I want to die…_

With every little bit of his strength, he sat up. Against every nagging pain in his body and how much his arms and legs disagreed, he sat up. He touched his side and felt a spiraling hole going through his body. He knew that he shouldn't be alive. Sasuke lifted up his hand before his eyes and saw the red liquid dripping down.

"Sasuke-kun!" shouted a distressed voice.

_That must be Sakura… I would recognize that annoying voice anywhere. _

Sasuke fell onto his side and he tried to look at the earth below him. There was nothing, only emptiness. Soon, he heard footsteps running towards him. Part of him wanted to look up and see, but part of him wanted to die. Die like a horrible monster should.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted again.

The pink haired girl ran up the hill and saw the boy she loved so dearly, lying on the dirt ground. His face was dirty and he was in pain. She rushed towards his side with tears in her eyes. Her pink hair flared out and she quickly activated her medical ninjutsu. Although, she looked at the blood all around her. There was too much of it, and she looked at the boy. His eyes were closed and he was unconscious. He was hit in three vital points, but seemed to still be alive. Sakura's eyes raged with anger… This was certainly Itachi's work. Sasuke's burns, his bruises, and the mental trauma within his head.

"Hang in there, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted through her tears.

"Sakura?" he coughed out.

The clouds had begun to gather and the sky was darkening. Something bad was about to happen. Sakura looked at his damaged body and the handsome face beyond all those injuries. No one would see Sasuke there…they would only see a beaten up boy with no right mind, chasing after his brother foolishly after revenge. Only Sakura saw past that, and she saw the most handsome boy she had ever seen, intelligent, and skilled in any art or ninjutsu. She cried… She knew that surviving depended on his will power.

"Sasuke-kun! My medical ninjutsu…it won't…" she stuttered.

"It's all right…" Sasuke breathed heavily. "I can't live anymore."

Sakura only tried harder and the green flame encircled her hand more vigorously. She was trying to heal the vital points that Sasuke was dying in. Only, the bleeding wouldn't stop… Her tears fell down and she thought about all the times that she, Sasuke, and Naruto had been on Team 7. She cried… A lot. Her tears mixed into his flowing blood and diluted it. Suddenly, Sasuke realized what she was doing and caught her hand.

"The only thing that can save you, Sasuke-kun, is your will power," Sakura cried. "Please…"

"I don't care about living anymore. Without power, I am useless and I was defeated by Itachi for the third time. I can't live on like this anymore. I want to die, Sakura. Please understand me…"

"No! Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura's hand went flying across Sasuke's face. The boy realized this pain that she had just inflicted upon him was more painful than all of his wounds combined. Tears streamed down her face that fell onto him. He could feel each drop like a reason for holding him back and tying him down. Although, now he didn't think of it that way. Sasuke held up his hand and touched his cheek. It was glowing hot from Sakura's slap. He smiled softly and coughed out some more blood.

"Sa..Sasuke-kun…" Sakura cried. "Why won't you live? You're will power can save yourself…"

"I can't live…Sakura. I can't live with the fact that Itachi is stronger than me and how I will never be able to defeat him. I just can't…"

"Yes you can!" Sakura shouted at him. "You don't have to live for that reason! Think of Kakashi-sensei, baka Naruto! Or…even me. Sasuke-kun, you mean everything to us and to me. I…I just want us to be together…as friends…"

"Friends?" Sasuke coughed. "I always thought you loved me…"

"I do!" Sakura said crying onto Sasuke's body. "Although I know you will never love me back, no matter how hard I try. But this time, I want to try. Sasuke-kun, there is no meaning to life for me if you aren't with me!"

Sasuke blinked his eyes at Sakura vaguely. This reminded him of the time he nearly died saving Naruto from Haku on their first real mission on Team 7. Sakura had been there waiting for his awakened eyes, though everyone had thought all hope was lost. Sasuke had opened his eyes seeing Sakura cry over him. He thought he was dead… He wanted to be dead… although he could not bring himself to wish that. There was more than the fact he wanted revenge for killing his brother…but the people he had called his comrades.

"Sakura…Thank you…"

"What?" Sakura asked. That was the second time he had said this to her. She still had no idea of what it meant.

"Thank you…for everything… You saved me when I was hurt and you healed my heart as well. It would have blackened over these years, but for you…it was not entirely turned to stone. And I thank you for that…"

"Sasuke-kun!" she shouted. "Don't!"

_Thank you…_

_This place is so empty,  
My thoughts are so tempting,  
I don't know how it got so bad.  
Sometimes it's so crazy,  
that nothing can save me,  
But it's the only thing that I have. _

If you believe it's in my soul,  
I'd say all the words that I know,  
Just to see if they would show,  
That I'm trying to let you know,  
That I'm better off on my own.

_I'm better off on my own. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore…_

The dark haired boy was about to close his eyes and he could feel himself being lost within the abyss. He saw the darkness consuming himself and the thoughts of regret and sin flowed through his mind. Itachi had won. He had always won. He had lost. He was the weakest of hi clan. Sasuke could not bear to feel these thoughts any longer. He knew that he would go to hell…there was not such place for him in heaven. He sighed his last breath as his eyes closed for the last time, until he saw something gleaming in the sunlight.

Sasuke opened his eyes a little, allowing him to see Sakura's beautiful face until he died. Although, he saw the girl that he had always loved, and never told her that… He saw her holding a razor sharp kunai pointing it at herself. She bit her lip, and Sasuke could not understand what she was doing.

"Sasuke-kun, if you are going to leave me for real and never come back, I'd rather not stay here any longer…"

Sakura's tears fell down even faster as she would never understand why she wanted to die. But then, everything she had done was for Sasuke. If he was gone from the world, there was no reason for her to live. She held the kunai up to her heart and knew that it was the prefect place to kill herself. Sasuke had broken her heart. She knew that he had loved her, but never told her… She was heartbroken.

"Sakura! No!" Sasuke shouted out of nowhere.

It was too late, even with Sasuke with his sudden burst of energy, he could not stop the kunai penetrating her skin. He watched in horror as the beautiful girl's wound had a deep red liquid falling out. Sasuke immediately sat up and Sakura leaned into him. She smiled looking into Sasuke, seeing how she had saved his life by sacrificing hers. She was content, although Sasuke was in deep shock.

"Why?" he asked.

"I only wanted to save you…" Sakura breathed.

Sasuke clutched the girl close to his heart with tears coming out of his eyes now. Sakura had never seen him cry before, and she smiled at him, touching his cheek. She had desperately loved him. Now, Sasuke had told her the same, even without words. He pulled the kunai out of the girl and tried to compress the bleeding. Make it stop… but it wouldn't. He watched hopelessly with her within his hands. The girl he loved most was dying in his hands. Blood was everywhere.

"Seems…like I was able to do the right thing in the end…" Sakura breathed.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked. _She deserves so much more…_

Sakura's eyes then closed and then Sasuke clenched his teeth… He wanted to die now as well. There was absolutely nothing he had to live for now.

Then they both fell into eternal darkness.

---

Sasuke awoke in the Konoha hospital with bandages all around his body. He couldn't stand that he was alive, but Sakura's last act had saved his life. He should have been grateful, although he wasn't. Sakura was gone…and there was nothing left for him. He looked at his own shaking hands and then he looked to the side of him. His eyes widened as he saw the girl beside his bed. It was Sakura.

"Sakura!" he shouted but then felt the internal pain within his ribs.

Her eyes winced and Sasuke was relieved. He breathed a sigh of relief and Sakura's eyes opened. She looked at Sasuke and smiled. He was alive… She was alive… Sakura painfully stood up and walked over to Sasuke's bed. She sat on his bed and Sasuke sat up.

"You were preparing to kill yourself for me, huh?" Sasuke said normally with his attitude again.

"Sasuke-kun… Just don't throw away your life," Sakura said sadly.

She leaned onto Sasuke with soft tears coming down her face. She only tried to make him see that he was really loved. Sakura only wanted him to be a true ninja for Konoha, chasing not only dreams, but the village's safety. Sasuke looked down and realized what this had all taught him that Sakura had truly cared about him. Enough to kill herself. He wouldn't take this for granted anymore…

"Sakura, I love you…and I can't bear to see you die again."

_I tried to be perfect,  
It just wasn't worth it,  
Nothing could ever be so wrong.  
It's hard to believe me,  
It never gets easy,  
I guess I knew that all along. _

If you believe it's in my soul,  
I'd say all the words that I know,  
Just to see if it would show,  
That I'm trying to let you know,  
That I'm better off on my own.

**Author's Note:** First SakuxSasu fic. I'm a nub, but would like everyone's opinion on this. I'm sorta stuck on one-shot mode. Reviews would be greatly appreciated also to help me see if I would like to write more for the naruto community. :)


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